Method and apparatus for separating metallic articles



July 20, 1937. F. s. MCCUNE 2,087,806

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR .SEPARATING METALLIC ARTICLES Filed Aug. 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 hiya/afar.- FEEDER/CK 6. M- CuA/E,

July 20, 1937. F. s. MCCUNE 2,087,806

METHOD AND. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING METALLIC ARTICLES Filed Aug. 12, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FEEDER/CK 6. /7- Cu/vg,

Patented July 20, 1937 UNITED rear cries METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR- SEPARAT- ENG METALLIC ARTICLES 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for disintegrating metallic articles.

Heretofore metallic scrap of a long and narrow nature has been either out into short lengths or wound on a mandrel under a heavy holddown rolling wheel. Light weight (24 gage and g ter) scrap of irregular shape usually has been baled which commands a much less scrap value than so-called shovel or dense loose scrap, which latter scrap is more readily charged into remelting furnaces. Heavy (24 gage and heavier) scrap involves excessive labor and costs for conversion into satisfactorily sized bundles which likewise commands low scrap value.

One of the most difficult metallic scraps to handle is the residue from a square sheet from which a perfect circle has been cut wherein the residue not only is severely twisted into a corkscrew formation but is irregular of shape, bulky and with sharp, clean-cut edges, and presents a hazard to manually handle.

An object of this invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for converting bulky, tortuous metallic residue into a compact dense mass.

Another object is to provide a method and means of disintegrating metallic residue having alternate wide and narrow portions into flat sections by breaking the residue into separate pieces at their minimum cross-sectional areas.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of apparatus for carrying out the method of disintegrating irregularly shaped metallic residue.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of Figure 1 taken on the entry or charging side.

Figure 3 is a section on the line IlIIII of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a showing of a circular pieceof material out from a square section-and indicating the material left as scrap.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a twisted irregular metallic sectiOn resulting from cutting a circle, and

Figure 6 is a detail showing of one of the disintegrated pieces.

In the drawings, the disintegrating mechanism and its driving mechanism are suitably mounted on a base 2.

The disintegrating mechanism comprises housings 3 between which arepositioned at least two pairs .of disintegrating rolls 4 i and 55. The rolls are'mounted'in bearings 6 positioned in openings 1 in said housings. Each pair of rolls preferably carries a knurled or corrugated surface 3 to provide a positive gripping action on both sides of the metallic residue passing therebetween. To insure such a gripping action, the central portion of each of the housing caps 9 is provided with a threaded opening adapted to receive a threaded screwbolt lilwhich engages spring caps i2. A spring 93 is positioned between each of the top roll bearings 6 and said spring caps ii to insure positive contact of the rolls l and 5 with the rolls 4' and 5'. The rolls are geared together by intermeshing gears l4. and E5 to provide positive-rotation to both ends of the rolls while under heavy pressure and to prevent their binding in the event they are corrugated or otherwise intermeshed.

A V-shaped intake guide it is secured to the sides of the housings 3 for feeding the bulky and twisted metallic residue between the disintegrating rolls. A guide plate i! is secured to the sides of the housings at the dischargeend of the rolls to transfer the disintegrated metallic pieces to a conveyor or receptacle, as desired. A guide plate 58 is positioned between the rolls 4-4 and 5-5. L

A motor is suitably mounted on said base 2 rotates the spaced rolls l-' and 55 through mechanism hereinafter described. A pinion 2! is mounted upon the motor shaft 29 and drives a gear 22, mounted on a shaft 23, which also carries a pinion 24 meshing with a gear 25. The gear 25 is secured to one end of a shaft 26 positioned between companion bearing housings 21. The shaft 26 carries a double sprocket 28 keyed thereto and by means of a chain 29 drives sprocket 38 provided with a greater number of teeth and adapted to rotate the rolls 4-5 at a lower peripheral speed than the driving sprocket 28 and the companion rolls 5-5'.

Mounted on a continuation of the shaft 26 and lying between the roll housing 3 and the bearing housing 21 is a half-coupling 3!. The lower disintegrating roll '5 carries an integral portion 32 extending beyond the housing 3 in line with the shaft 25, the outermost portion of said extended portion 32 being provided with a half-coupling 33 in alignment with the half-coupling 3 l These half-couplings 3i and 33 are interconnected by a brake band or drum 34 and provide a drive connection between the driving shaft 26 and'bottom exit roll 5'.

The lower disintegrating roll 4 is provided with an integral portion 35 extending through the bearing-housing 36. A double sprocket 30 is' mounted on the extreme end of said portion 35 and is adapted to be driven at a lower speed than its driving sprocket 28. Therefore, rotation of the rolls 4-4 is at a slower peripheral speed than the exit rolls -5.

For the purpose of illustration, I have shown the disintegrating of residual scrap left after a circle has been cut from a square sheet. In Figure 4, there is shown a square piece of material from which a circular piece A is to be out. Figure 5, shows the residual scrap consisting of severely twisted alternate wide and narrow portions 3? and 38 prior to being fed through'the present apparatus for disintegration into smaller sections, one of which is shown in Figure 6.

The cutting action toform a circle has not only twisted the residual scrap into a tortuous formation but its. bulk and odd shape, together with its sharp, clean cut edges, makes it most difficult to bundle and handle. It is to be understood that other length scrap residue might serve to illustrate my method so long as it would vary in cross-sectional area with substantially alternate large and small cross-sectional areas. Thus, long scrap residue from the edge trimming of long lengths of continuous strip would likewise be readily handled by my method and apparatus inasmuch as the edge trimming of irregularly-edged strip metal would likewise leave a scrap, whose cross-section would substantially vary alternately between large and small areas.

In operation, the disintegratingmechanism is adjusted for receiving the residual scrap 'by first tightening down screwbolts 19. Thus, the top rolls 4 and 5 of each pair of rolls are brought into; close contact with their companion bottom rolls 4 and 5' respectively to prevent slippage of the scrap as it passes between each pair of rolls. The motor [9 is energized which, through the pinion and gear mechanism above described, rotate sprockets 28 and 30 which, in turn, drive lower rolls 4 and 5 respectively, as well as top rolls 4 and 5 by means of gears l4 and i5.

One end of the residual scrap, as shown in Figure 5, is fed through the hopper-like guide l6 into and between low speed rolls 4 and 4' across the top of the guide plate I8, into and between the high speed rolls 5 and 5 and finally out over the exit guide plate I]. r 7

During its passage between the spaced driven rolls, the twisted tortuous formation has been obliterated, leaving the scrap in a substantially fiat condition which is ideal for loose yet dense piling, making it highly desirable for charging into remelting furnaces and eliminating all necessity for baling or bundling.

As the forward end of the flattened scrap, running at low linear speed out of at least one pair of low-speed rolls 44', contacts the rolls 55' running at a considerably faster peripheral speed, such action induces the .step of stretching the metal between these two pairs of rolls.

The fact that such scrap carries substantially alternately large andsmall cross-sectional areas will necessarily tend to disintegrate the metal at its smallest cross-sectional area or point of weakness. This disintegrating action thus causes the residual scrap to not only exit from the rolls 5-5 in a flat state, but also in relatively short sections, which further aids in compacting such disintegrated mass preparatory to remelting. If desired, I may utilize rotating, grouped .rolls or sets rather than spaced pairs of superimposed rolls.

Should, for example, the forward end of the I scrap double over to form an unusually large section commonly termed a cobble, it is to be noted that it will still be carried without slippage between the rolls 5-5, due to the positive driving of both rolls interconnected at one end by gears I 4l5. If there is any tendency for cramping or otherwise non-rotation of the rolls 55, such would not be transmitted back to the driving mechanism, as the tendency for residual scrap to slip between said rolls would be taken up between the friction couplings 3l33 and their encircling brake band 34.

Thus, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that I have disclosed a method of and apparatus for disintegrating metallic residual scrap into such form and shape that its value is not only enhanced, but also that it is of a dense compact nature. It is further evident that the hazards of handling such bulky odd-shaped scrap are eliminated as well as additional labor and mate rial costs hereto-fore attendant to its bundling or baling.

Itis furthermore. apparent that any residual metallic scrap fromlong lengths, strip metal edges having irregular cross-sectional areas may be readily broken up into smallsections rather than reeling onto a mandrel, attempting to bundle as a bulky, space-taking, mass which is a poor charge for any remelting furnace, and so light of weight as to hinder ready and lowpriced transportation.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined bythe following claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for disintegrating irregularly shaped metallic scrap material having substantially alternate, interconnected wide and narrow portions comprising one or more sets of disintegrating rolls, means for spacing one or more sets of rolls from each other, means for driving said rolls of each set and means for driving at least one set of rolls at a greater peripheral speed than any of the remaining sets of rolls to disintegrate and flatten said irregularly-shaped metallic scrap material at or about its narrow portions into smaller, flatter sections.

2. A method of disintegrating metallic scrap material having substantially alternate interconnected wide and narrow portions into substantially short, flat sections, which includes the steps of engaging saidnietallic material between two points, moving one point at a speed substantially greater than the other point but in the same direction and stretching and breaking the metallic material between said points at or about their narrow portions into smaller, flatter sections.

3. An apparatus for disintegrating the. residue from a square sheetof metal fromwhich a per: fect circle has been cut, comprising one or more sets of disintegratingrolls, means for driving the rolls of each set and means for driving at least one set of rolls at a greater peripheral speed than any of the remaining sets of rolls to disintegrate and flatten the irregularly-shaped residue at or about its narrow portions into smaller, fiat sections.

- FREDERIoK s. v. 

